The present invention is related to lock apparatus and more specifically to an improved pick resistant cylinder lock.
Conventional cylinder locks are used extensively for numerous applications in locking such items as door latches, ignition switches, padlocks, and the like. They are reliable, require little maintenance, and are conducive to a variety of key fitting combinations. Conventional cylinder locks, however, are conducive to unauthorized opening by "picking." Usually, the lock "picking" is accomplished by holding an angular bias on the key plug while using a narrow, elongated rigid tool to move the individual tumbler pins until the shear line between the key plug and cylinder housing is uninterrupted. While such a procedure is usually difficult for a novice, some persons become quite proficient at opening cylinder locks without keys. Therefore, there is a need for higher security cylinder locks that retain all the desirable features associated with cylinder locks and which are capable of foiling would be lock pickers.